Congratulations to East Anchorage High School in Anchorage, AK
recipients of the 2010 Diane Rubin Award.
Since the fall of 2005, the Mu Alpha Theta chapter has run a Saturday Math Camp, from 9 - 11 am, to provide
peer tutors to help students who had not passed the mandatory math basic skills test to receive a diploma from high school.
In 2005, over 47% of the students taking the test failed. The math remediation program was so
successful that word spread and soon students were asking the Mu Alpha Theta students for homework help
on Saturdays, as well as help to pass the basis math test. Membership in the Mu Alpha Theta club
has now surged to 182 active members with many working on Saturday mornings. Tutors
have needed to acquire patience and improved problem solving skills. Some are now contemplating
becoming math teachers. We applaud the work these students are doing to help others at their school.
Many chapters provide math enrichment activities to others at their school or other schools in the area. Thank you to
all the chapters that shared their projects with us this year by applying for the Rubin Award.
While only one school is our official winner, in reality, everyone wins when our chapters provide
such great opportunities for others to enjoy and excel in math!
The Diane Rubin Award was established in 2004 by the Governing Council of Mu
Alpha Theta to be presented annually. The award was named in honor of Diane
Rubin who worked tirelessly at the National Office of Mu Alpha Theta for twenty
years, before her retirement in December, 2003.
The award will be presented to the Mu Alpha Theta chapter which has a history of
outstanding mathematics service to its community or its school for at least two years. This
service must promote interest in mathematics and benefit a group other than its
own chapter. A prize of $500 and a distinguished plaque will be
given to the winner. The award will be presented at the National Convention, but a
representative of the chapter need not be present to win. However, to encourage
the chapter to attend, the winner will also receive a Convention Grant of $3000.
No school may receive the award more than once in a five year period.
To be eligible, the chapter should print and submit the application Form and
should submit a maximum three page description of the mathematics service
project(s), single sided, double spaced. The three pages may include pictures, news
articles or other printed visual information. Also include two supporting
letters from someone on the receiving end of the project.
The Form and supporting information should be submitted
to the National Office, postmarked no later than March 1 and mailed to:
Mu Alpha Theta
Rubin Award
c/o University of Oklahoma
601 Elm Ave. Rm 1102
Norman, OK 73019-0315
The Governing Council will select the winning chapter, which will be notified no
later than March 30.
The recipient of the 2009 Rubin Award was Columbus High School in Columbus, GA
The Mu Alpha Theta members have been running two math tournaments, one for K-5th grades
and one for 6 - 8th grades, for over nine years.
The recipient of the 2008 Rubin Award was Lakota West High School in West
Chester, OH. Since 1997, their chapter has hosted and administered a Mighty
Mu math competition in the greater Cincinnati area that has expanded to include
4th through 8th grade students. The chapter also hosts and administers both the
Rose Hulman and OH Teachers of Mathematics Contest for area high schoolers.
The 2007 Rubin Award recipient was Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy
in Aurora, IL. This chapter organizes, hosts and administers the annual
Junior High Math Contest (JHMC). The JHMC serves over twenty middle schools and
junior high schools and had run the competition continuaously for 17 years when they
won the Rubin Award.
The recipient of the 2006 Rubin Award was Vero Beach High School in Vero Beach, FL.
This chapter organizes a Might Mu competition for area students in the 4th through
8th grades. They also created a successful tutoring program for 6th through 8th
grade students at local Oslo Middle School.
The 2005 Rubin Award recipient was Miami Springs Senior High School in Miami Springs, FL.
Their chapter organized several community services projects. These projects included
decorating a local nursing home for the holidays, making Thanksgiving baskets
for needy families and sending letters of encouragement to alumni serving in the military
Some of these former veterans were invited to speak to club members. (Beginning in 2006, the criteria
for the Rubin Award was revised to community service that is math related.)